Browns Taking Aim At Bad Acting Browns Backers on Social Media

As reported by Daryl Ruiter of 92.3 The Fan, the Cleveland Browns reached out to some Browns Backers club that if their social media accounts to criticize the team, players, or staff they will be deactivated.

Apparently as a result of the repeated actions of a few, the Cleveland Browns are taking a strong stance regarding Browns Backers Worldwide in regards to criticism of the team's players, staff and organization. If their social media accounts are used negatively, the team has informed them they will be deactivated. It's not difficult to understand the team's point of view on this, but it's something that never really works out for the team, even if it's specifically targeted at a few bad actors. It ends up increasing the criticism of the very things they would rather avoid from a larger audience.

#Browns have informed Browns Backers Worldwide members that "Social media platforms using the chapter name that post negatively about the organization/personnel/players/etc. will result in deactivation"

— Daryl Ruiter (@RuiterWrongFAN) March 12, 2020

First, the timing of the news doesn't look good. It's being done or at least reported at the same time the entire sports landscape is reeling in reaction to try to prevent the spread of COVID-19. While leagues, both pro and college are either suspending play, delaying the starts of their seasons or cancelling them all together, the Browns scold some of their fans.

At the same time, from the Browns perspective, when people decide to post from social media accounts with Browns Backers on them, they are doing it because it has more weight and usually gets more traction. Jerry or Sue from Niles criticizing the team, saying they need to fire the coach or the general manager doesn't have quite the impact as the Browns Backers of Ohio saying it, for example. And the people who choose to do that know it, which is why they are using the account to voice their frustration, essentially giving themselves a megaphone.

As uncouth as that may look, the team essentially criticizing their fans is almost always a losing strategy. And it sounds like they have asked these groups not to do this previously. That should be the case at the very least. Unfortunately, everyone can see what they are being sent and it makes them look like they are punching down at their customer base, even if only a handful.

The Cleveland Indians are the best example of a team that has taken the tact of effectively blaming their fans in part for lack of performance. Ownership has blamed fans for not buying enough tickets, saying they can't compete in terms of spending on free agents because of the market size. Paul Dolan, the CEO and part owner of the team, has claimed the team is losing money. His brother, Charles Dolan bought the Indians in 1999 for $323 million is currently worth an estimated $5 billion.

The use of this tactic for years has worn on the fanbase and although the local television ratings for the Indians are excellent, ticket sales are not. COVID-19 has changed the dynamic but before this became a prominent issue in the United States, opening day for the Indians hadn't sold out yet. For years, particularly coming out of the 90's, opening day would sell out in minutes. This is for a team that's routinely been in contention and played in the World Series recently.

The Browns, for the most part, have been a terrible football team for the past three decades, but they have resisted any urge to attack the fans. And while this move doesn't quite rise to the level of an attack, it's an action that has a similar ring as what Dolan has done in the past.

Most people have the same reaction when they see this from the Browns, whether it's at one customer or the entire fanbase. Win. Win and these people won't have reason to criticize. Be a consistent, effective organization that can put a winning product on the field, at least occasionally for a fan base that has been incredibly loyal despite the losing. While the team may not want to see it from these accounts and afford special consideration to their members, they have to do their part to quash this with play on the field.

Everything about this is unfortunate. It's a bad look for the Browns to go this route. It's a bad look for the Browns Backers, a remarkably far reaching and loyal fanbase that extends all over the world. Mostly, it just points to how badly the team needs to be able to win games and be successful on the field, so they aren't waging battles, no matter how small, with fans off of it.